Symbolic image of hope and resilience in the face of suffering.

Finding Strength in Brokenness: How the Shame of the Crucifixion Speaks to Our Struggles Today

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Avery Sinclair in Culture & Society August 2025 • 4 min read.

"Exploring the themes of shame, humiliation, and resilience in the crucifixion narrative offers a path to healing and connection in our own lives."


Good Friday compels us to confront the brutal reality of Jesus's suffering. The scriptures detail a horrific scene: 'You will be scourged and crowned with thorns, struck in the face and mocked, given vinegar and gall to drink, and nailed to the cross.' (EG 81,2). Jesus, like many victims of violence, endured not only physical torment but also systematic degradation. He was ridiculed, stripped of everything, and subjected to intense humiliation, aimed at breaking his spirit.

This article focuses on the theme of shame and humiliation in the crucifixion narrative. Shame is a deeply human experience, one that many people struggle with in silence. It’s a taboo emotion, often accompanied by feelings of isolation and the sense that one is fundamentally flawed. But this Good Friday, we remember that the crucified Christ shares in this suffering.

Stephan Marks, a leading researcher on human dignity and shame, describes 'traumatic shaming' as the experience where the four fundamental needs of a person are excessively violated: the need for recognition, safety, belonging, and the preservation of one's own integrity. The Gospel of Luke's depiction of the crucifixion reveals these forms of traumatic shaming.

The Crushing Weight of Vulnerability: Understanding Shame Through the Crucifixion

Symbolic image of hope and resilience in the face of suffering.

Before Jesus is crucified, he is stripped of his clothing in public (Luke 23:34). Completely naked, exposed to the most private areas of his body, which is suggestively called 'shame,' he is nailed to the cross. Artistic depictions often cover Jesus's nakedness with a cloth, likely out of respect and to protect viewers from the offensive sight.

In the Gospel narrative, Jesus is exposed to the gaze of the crowd. They scrutinize him, seeing everything that would normally be hidden: the vulnerability of his body, his physical loss of control, and his slow, agonizing death.

  • Loss of Control: The inability to protect oneself or control the situation heightens the sense of shame.
  • Public Exposure: Being subjected to the unwanted scrutiny and judgment of others intensifies the feeling of vulnerability.
  • Prolonged Suffering: The extended period of torment amplifies the emotional and psychological impact of the shaming experience.
Shame in the form of exposure is an element that many know through nightmares. You are in a highly embarrassing situation, would prefer to sink into the ground or become invisible, but cannot move from the spot and is defenseless against the gazes of others. One usually awakes from such dreams bathed in sweat and with a racing heart, and needs some time before arriving back in comforting reality. For many, however, such shame experience is not just a bad dream, but cruel reality. Consider the victims of violent attacks who are filmed during their ordeal, with the footage then shared on social media for the world to see.

Finding a Path to Healing

The Good Friday narrative, viewed through the lens of traumatic shaming, offers a powerful connection to contemporary experiences. Recognizing that Jesus shares our suffering brings concrete comfort and allows for the unspeakable to be voiced in His presence. For those burdened by guilt, the Crucified Christ offers reassurance that repentance is always possible and that forgiveness creates new possibilities. The true meaning of Good Friday becomes tangible: that is to heal, and to feel what has been hidden.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

Everything You Need To Know

1

In the context of the crucifixion, how was Jesus subjected to 'traumatic shaming'?

The crucifixion narrative highlights that Jesus experienced traumatic shaming through the violation of his fundamental needs. He was denied recognition, stripped of safety, lost belonging, and his personal integrity was compromised. This traumatic shaming emphasizes the deep humiliation and degradation he endured, connecting his suffering to the experiences of those who also face shame and isolation.

2

How does Stephan Marks' definition of 'traumatic shaming' relate to the events of the crucifixion?

Stephan Marks defines 'traumatic shaming' as the excessive violation of a person's four fundamental needs: the need for recognition, safety, belonging, and the preservation of one's own integrity. During the crucifixion, Jesus was stripped naked (compromising his integrity and safety), publicly humiliated (denying recognition and belonging), and subjected to intense suffering. These actions epitomize traumatic shaming as Marks describes it.

3

What specific elements during the crucifixion contributed to an intensified sense of shame?

The loss of control, public exposure, and prolonged suffering are key elements that intensify the sense of shame experienced during the crucifixion. The inability to protect oneself heightens vulnerability. Public exposure subjects the individual to scrutiny and judgment. Prolonged suffering amplifies the emotional and psychological impact, making the shaming experience more profound and damaging.

4

How does understanding Good Friday through the lens of 'traumatic shaming' offer a path to healing?

Viewing Good Friday through the lens of traumatic shaming provides a profound connection to contemporary experiences of shame and suffering. Recognizing that the Crucified Christ shares in human suffering brings comfort, and offers reassurance that repentance is always possible, and that forgiveness creates new possibilities. By acknowledging and voicing these unspeakable feelings in the presence of the Crucified Christ, healing and reconciliation can begin, transforming Good Friday into a tangible experience of restoration.

5

Why does the crucifixion narrative focus on themes of shame and humiliation?

The article focuses on the theme of shame and humiliation in the crucifixion narrative, because shame is a deeply human experience, one that many people struggle with in silence. It’s a taboo emotion, often accompanied by feelings of isolation and the sense that one is fundamentally flawed. The narrative offers a powerful connection to contemporary experiences of shame and suffering. This recognition brings comfort, and allows for feelings to be voiced in His presence.

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